Go2Zero

Role-playing game to facilitate energy transition decision-making on city level

Go2Zero provides a better understanding of the challenges of energy transition in cities by facilitating a space to explore different strategies to tackle them. In this multi-player game, different roles need to take actions to reduce energy consumption, increase sustainable production and create CO2 free districts. Some of the stakeholders represented in this decision-making process are governments, utilities, residents or housing corporations. The game lets you experience the consequences of individual and collective decisions and also explore the interdependencies between different stakeholders. By experiencing these consequences in a board game setting, stakeholders may be able to take better decisions in real life.

When to play

Are you an actor involved in the energy transition on city level? Probably you have many ideas in mind that could work! Play this game to experience the consequences of your actions. Even if you are not interested in energy transition this game is a good exercise to explore the importance of coordination and cooperation to tackle complex challenges. 

Commons-related features

• Exchange views and informationThe game allows players to exchange ideas, information and world views while playing the game. 
• Reflect on resources managementThe game lets you experience the challenges of managing a resource.
• Promote cooperationThe game makes participants collaborate between them others and stimulate the concept of cooperation beyond the game’s duration.

Best contexts to play

• Multi-stakeholder co-creation sessionThe game can be played to promote a debate with a wide range of actors (a.o. residents, designers or architects).
• Expert meetingThe game could work well during an expert meeting regarding the commons for different purposes (such as reflecting about an urban challenge in a non-standard way).
• Decision-making activityThe game can guide participant decision-making in a variety of contexts, for example by facilitating a voting or consent process.

Gameplay

• ExplorativeThe game lets you experience alternative worlds.
• ChallengingThe game demands a considerable effort (e.g. to act under time pressure) to succeed.
• Interactive/communalThe game incites a continuous exchange of information, ideas or experiences between the players. The game play is really ‘done together’. 

How to obtain

The game was part of an EU funded project called City-zen that ended in 2017.

See the project site to meet the game developers